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July 14, 2004
My Day at the NYPL
Having run out of fun books to read again (after finishing the 4-book series of a Wrinkle in Time), i was in dire need of more reading material. Sitting on the subway train for 30 min. each way each day can get pretty boring without a book, and i found out how much i missed my reading this week. So decided to go to the New York Public Library and find A Catcher in the Rye because that popped into my head somehow.
After venturing thru the rain, and remembering that the Midtown Manhattan branch is on 40th and Fifth Ave, not 40th and Park, i walked in the front door. Immediately my backpack was searched (because everybody brings knives, guns, and bombs into libraries these days, but fortunately i didn't today). Then i walked in further, past the security guards, took a quick glance around, and found the info-desk librarian lady. She looked very tired (it was about 7:30pm) but was friendly. I asked her who wrote CITR (because i read it so long ago that i forgot) and she told me "Salinger. It's a tiny, thin book." :) So i ventured over and found it, in all its simple, white-cover glory. Now i had to check out the book. I needed a library card!
So i walked over to the desk that said 'Registration', where nobody was. I waited, felt like i was in the wrong place, and walked back over to the info-desk lady again (who still looked exhausted) and asked her. She told me to go over to this other desk (so many desks!) and wait. I did, and this girl came up to me (with very glossy lipstick) and asked me what i wanted and who i was. I told her, but she needed proof. I showed her my PA driver's license. "Do you live in NY?" she asked. I told her 'Yes', but again she needed proof. Unfortunately i didn't have anything like that, so i explained my intern situation, which necessitated the bringing out of my UMID and my ID from where i work, to prove i am a student and i am interning here. To make matters worse, i happened to mention that i didn't even live at the address listed on my driver's license! Exasperated, but smiling, she said to just write whatever, and i'd get the card :) I did, and now i'm a full NYPL member! I even got to try out their cool barcode-scanning self-checkout station!
Now i have CITR staring up at me from the foot of my bed, daring me to open its stark-white cover, to be consumed by the world of Holden Caufield. No boring subway riding tomorrow!
Posted by MaTT at July 14, 2004 10:01 PM
Comments
Did you tell them you go to SI? I wonder how many SI alums there are there. Maybe that's why the girl told you to fill out 'whatever'.
Posted by: srah at July 15, 2004 05:20 PM
No i didn't mention it, but I was wondering that too (about the presence of SI peepul) and wondered how many current students will decide to work there as well... I'm still amazed at how run-down it looked -- i mean, it was ok, and looked no worse than normal big city libraries, but wow, what a difference compared to Borders...
Posted by: MaTT at July 17, 2004 11:45 PM